


Space reports

by MrToddWilkins (orphan_account)



Series: Space stuff [2]
Category: Meta - Fandom
Genre: Fanwork Research & Reference Guides
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-24 22:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17109206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/MrToddWilkins





	1. January 30,1989

The Mir space station raised its orbit last week to counteract the  
effects of drag caused by high density in the upper atmosphere.  
Every 11 years as solar activity increases, the Earth's outer atmosphere   
becomes denser and low orbit satellites burn up. Three cosmonauts   
are working aboard the Mir station, which is the first permanently  
occupied space laboratory. Next week marks two years of continuous human  
presence in space.

Space Shuttle Discovery was moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building  
last week for mating to its booster rockets. It will be moved to   
the launch pad next week and is likely to fly at the beginning of March.  
This STS-29 mission is to launch a tracking and data relay satellite  
which is needed to relay data from the Space Telescope (due next year).

The Soviet space probe Phobos-2 entered orbit around Mars on Jan 29. It is the first  
Soviet Mars probe for 15 years. It will approach the Martian moon Phobos  
in March or April.

A European Ariane rocket successfully launched an Intelsat communications satellite  
last week. The satellite provides transatlantic telephone and television service and is   
owned by an international consortium.


	2. February 7,1989

I've included all the more boring launches so you have some background  
info...

Space Shuttle Discovery was moved to Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space  
Center last week. Repairs to the main engines are continuing  
and the launch is scheduled for March 10. If launch  
is not possible by March 18, the mission will be delayed to  
allow Atlantis to launch the Magellan Venus probe instead.

The Soviet satellite Kosmos-1990, launched January 12, is on a  
mission to take photographs of earthquake-stricken Armenia.  
The photographs will be used to help the reconstruction effort.  
The satellite is operated by the Priroda Center, part of the  
USSR Central Geodesy and Cartography Agency (GUGK).

The first Israeli satellite, Ofeq-1, burned up in the Earth's  
atmosphere on January 14. It was launched last year.

Other January events:

Kosmos-1987,1988 launched Jan 10, Soviet Glavkosmos navigation satellites  
Kosmos-1989 launched Jan 10, Soviet Glavkosmos satellite tracking and  
geophysical studies.  
Kosmos-1991 launched Jan 18, GRU (Soviet Military Intelligence) medium  
resolution spy satellite, probably landed Feb 1.  
Kosmos-1992 launched Jan 26, Probably part of the KGB satellite communications  
network.  
Gorizont ('Horizon'), launched Jan 26, Soviet Ministry of Communications television  
and communications satellite.  
Intelsat V, launched Jan 27 by Ariane from Kourou, French Guiana for  
INTELSAT (International Telecommunications Satellite Organization).  
Kosmos-1993 launched Jan 28, GRU (Soviet Military Intelligence) advanced  
spy satellite.


	3. February 16,1989

The first US space launch of the year came on Valentine's Day.  
The first USAF Block II Navstar satellite soared into space on board  
the first launch of a Delta II rocket. The fleet of Navstar Global Positioning  
Satellites, when operational, will allow both military and civilian  
users to determine their exact position to within a hundred metres anywhere  
in the world. The satellites carry an accurate atomic clock whose rate is  
corrected for the gravitational redshift predicted by General Relativity  
to occur between the satellite altitude of 20000 km and the ground.  
The Delta II is a new USAF rocket and is an improved version of NASA's  
Delta which has launched nearly 200 satellites over 30 years.

Preparations continue for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on  
mission STS-29, during the week of March 13. Any further delays  
are likely to result in a delay of the mission to make way  
for the STS-30 mission.

Soviet cosmonauts Volkov, Krikalyov, and Polyakov continue their  
tour of duty on board the Mir space station. Last week the robot  
cargo freighter Progress-39 was undocked from Mir, loaded  
with refuse and surplus equipment. It was made to reenter  
over the Pacific Ocean and was destroyed. A new robot freighter  
will be launched soon, carrying food, air, and fuel supplies for  
the station.

 NPO Energiya has confirmed the landing of spy satellite Kosmos-1991 on Feb 1.


	4. February 21,1989

As reported last week, the first US launch of the year went off  
perfectly. The Navstar 2-1 satellite has now circularised its orbit at  
20000 km altitude. The next Navstar / Delta 2 launch is set for April. 

The Soviet Union launched a robot cargo freighter on 10 Feb to   
deliver food, air, fuel and experiments to the Mir space station.  
The Progress-40 spacecraft linked up with Mir on 12 Feb, and  
will remain attached to the station for about a month. It will be  
followed by Progress-41 in March, and then a month of major activity  
in April when the station will be enlarged by the addition of a new  
module, and a new crew will take over.

Also on Feb 10, the Kosmos-2000 satellite was launched into polar   
orbit. The second mission of the year to be operated by the Soviet  
Priroda ("Nature") Center, it will be used to make maps of Antarctica.

The space shuttle Discovery is still on target for a mid-March  
launch at Kennedy Space Center.

 

Other events:

6 satellites (Kosmos-1994 to 1999) were launched on a single Tsiklon  
("Cyclone") booster on Feb 10, making a total of 8 satellites launched  
that day. The small satellites are believed to be used for either  
geodetic or communications purposes by the Soviet Navy.

The Kosmos-1990 satellite completed its mission to survey Armenia  
and landed in the USSR after 30 days in space.


	5. February 28,1989

As reported last week, the first US launch of the year went off  
perfectly. The Navstar GPS-13 satellite, officially named 'USA-35', has  
now circularised its orbit at 20000 km altitude. The next Navstar/Delta-2  
launch is set for April. 

Japan's scientific space agency ISAS (Institute of Space and  
Astronautical Sciences) launched the Akebono ('Dawn') satellite from  
Kagoshima Space Center on Feb 21 into an elliptical polar orbit. The  
satellite, also known as EXOS-D, will study the formation of aurorae. 

A Japanese commercial communications satellite, JCSAT 1, is set for  
launch aboard a European Ariane 4 rocket this week. The rocket will  
also carry Europe's first Operational Meteosat weather satellite into  
orbit. 

The space shuttle Discovery is still on target for a mid-March  
launch at Kennedy Space Center. A launch date will be set next week.

 

Other events:

Kosmos-2001, launched Feb 14 by a 'Molniya' booster, is a missile early  
warning satellite operated by the PVO (Soviet Air Defence Forces). 

Kosmos-2002, launched Feb 14, is a small military satellite whose  
mission is unknown. The USSR launches several satellites each year in  
this 'minor military' category; the small satellites do not maneuver and  
reenter after one or two years. Possible missions include radiation  
measurement, atmospheric studies, cloud cover monitoring, communications  
security monitoring, and technology development. 

Kosmos-2003 is a GRU (Soviet Military Intelligence) spy satellite, based  
on the old Vostok spacecraft. It was launched on Feb 17 and will  
probably land in Kazakhstan on Mar 3. 

Kosmos-2004 was launched on Feb 22. Speculation is currently centering on it being an ELINT satellite.

The 75th Soviet Ministry of Communications 'Molniya-1' comsat  
was orbited on Feb 15. 

Major launches due in March include Space Shuttle Mission STS-29,  
a European Ariane 44LP launch with two comsats, and a Soviet   
Progress cargo freighter.


	6. March 7,1989

Kennedy Space Center, Fla:  
\----------------------------  
Space Shuttle Mission STS-29 is due to be launched on Mar 13 from Launch  
Complex 39-B, Kennedy Space Center, using Orbiter 103 (Discovery). The  
main payload is a Contel,Inc. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite which  
carries an IUS upper stage to deliver it to geostationary orbit. The  
TDRS satellite will replace TDRS-1, launched in 1983, as the operational  
TDRS-EAST satellite. The crew of Discovery are Capt. Michael Coats,  
Col. John Blaha, Col. James Buchli, Dr. James Bagian, and Col.   
Robert Springer. 

Mir Space Station, Low Earth Orbit:  
\-------------------------------------  
The Progress-40 robot cargo freighter undocked from the Mir space  
station on Mar 5. According to Soviet reports, after it undocked it  
deployed a special structure designed for holding equipment and  
experiments. Progress-40 was due to be de-orbited over the Pacific  
Ocean and destroyed; the launch of Progress-41 is expected in the next  
few days.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit  
\---------------------------------   
Ariane flight V29 was launched on Mar 6 from the Centre Spatial Guyanais  
in South America. The Ariane 44LP vehicle placed two satellites into  
elliptical transfer orbit: EUMETSAT's MOP 1 (Meteosat Operational  
Programme) weather satellite and Japan Satellite Communications Co's  
JCSAT 1 comsat. The satellites will enter geostationary orbit in the  
next few days. 

 

Other events:

Kosmos-2004 was launched on Feb 22 by Kosmos rocket from Plesetsk. It  
is a Soviet Navy navigation satellite, part of a system of six  
satellites closely analogous to the US Navy Transit NNS system. 

The 18th GMS (Soviet Hydrometeorological Service) Meteor-2 weather  
satellite was launched from Plesetsk on a Tsiklon rocket on Feb 28.


	7. March 14,1989

Space Shuttle Mission STS-29 was launched on Mar 13 at 1457 UT from Launch  
Complex 39-B, Kennedy Space Center. Orbiter OV-103 'Discovery' is  
carrying out experiments on the effects of free fall on living  
organisms, and testing components being designed for use on the Space  
Station.

The TDRS-4 Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, owned by Contel, Inc., was  
launched by IUS rocket yesterday from low earth orbit after it was  
deployed from the cargo bay of the spaceship Discovery. The TDRS  
satellite will enter geostationary orbit and replace TDRS-1 as the  
TDRS-EAST satellite.

Other events:

Kosmos-2005 was launched on Mar 3 by Soyuz rocket from Plesetsk. It  
is a Soviet Military Intelligence (GRU) advanced reconnaissance satellite.

The Kosmos-2000 mapping satellite and the Kosmos-2003 spy satellite have  
completed their missions and landed in Kazakhstan, USSR.


	8. March 21,1989 / March 29,1989

Space Shuttle Mission STS-29 ended on Mar 18 with the landing of  
Discovery on concrete Runway 22 at Edwards. Atlantis has been mated with  
the STS-30 stack at Kennedy Space Center; it has been in the VAB since  
Mar 12 and is due to be moved to pad 39B tonight (Mar 21/22).

The Soviet Union has launched the Progress-41 robot cargo tanker, and  
docked it with the Mir orbital station on Mar 19. 

—————-

The third US satellite launch of the year was carried out successfully  
on Mar 24. The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) Delta  
Star satellite was orbited by a Delta 3920 launch vehicle from Kennedy  
Space Center. Delta Star's mission is to detect and observe rocket  
launches, in order to develop antimissile weapons.

Space Shuttle Mission STS-30 is on Pad 39B and due for launch at the end  
of April. The Magellan probe to Venus will be deployed from orbiter  
OV-104 Atlantis on its fourth mission. Crew are David Walker, Ron  
Grabe, and mission specialists Dr. Norman Thagard, Dr. Mary Cleave and  
Mark Lee. Dr. Cleave will be the first woman to fly in space since the  
Challenger accident. 

The Soviet Union lost contact with its Phobos-2 probe on Mar 27.  
Attempts continue to contact the probe, but it is not likely to be  
recovered. Another orbital manever had been made on Mar 15 to continue  
the rendezvous with the Martian moon Phobos. It had been planned to  
attempt a landing on Phobos in the coming weeks. 

 

Other news:

Kosmos-2006, launched on Mar 14, is a medium resolution spy  
satellite operated by the GRU (Soviet Military Intelligence).

Kosmos-2007 was launched on Mar 23. Like Kosmos-2004,it is believed to be a polar-orbital ELINT satellite operated by the GRU.

Kosmos-2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014, and 2015 were launched by a  
single Kosmos booster on Mar 24. They are believed to be small  
communications relay satellites used by the Soviet Navy. 

Space Services Inc carried out its first commercial launch of a  
suborbital Starfire sounding rocket on Mar 29. The payload was Consort  
1, a set of materials processing experiments.


	9. April 6,1989 / April 14,1989 / April 20,1989

The Swedish Space Corp. broadcasting satellite, Tele-X, was launched  
on Apr. 1 by Ariane 2 flight V30 from Kourou, South America. It is  
now in geostationary orbit.

 

Preparations continue for the launch of Soyuz TM-8 on Apr 19  
and Space Shuttle mission STS-30 on Apr 28.

The Soviet Kosmos-1993 recon satellite landed on March 27 after a two   
month mission.

—————

The Soyuz TM-8 mission to Mir has been cancelled. The Soyuz TM-7  
crew will land on Apr 27 leaving the Mir station unpiloted for  
the first time in over two years.

The STS-30 mission is still scheduled for Apr 28.

Kosmos-2007, launched on Mar 23, is an advanced digital imaging  
spy satellite operated by the GRU.

Kosmos-2016, launched on Apr 4, is a navigation satellite.

Kosmos-184, one of the early Meteor weather satellites launched  
into a 600 km orbit in 1967, reentered in early April after  
20 years of atmospheric drag had reduced its altitude to only  
150 km.

—————-

The Soyuz TM-7 crew are winding up their research program  
on the Mir orbital station. Mir is to be abandoned while  
a new crew is trained to repair the electrical power system.

The STS-30 mission is still scheduled for Apr 28.

The 23rd Raduga ('Rainbow') geostationary comsat was launched by Proton  
from Baykonur on Apr 14. The satellite is used principally for Soviet government  
and military communications.

Other news:

Kosmos-2016, launched on Apr 4, is a VMF (Soviet Navy) navigation satellite,  
part of a system analogous to the USN Transit.

Kosmos-2017, launched on Apr 6, is a GRU spy satellite based on the Vostok  
design. It is expected to land on Apr 20.

The SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) satellite   
reentered on Apr 11. The NASA satellite was used in 1979-81 to study the ozone  
layer as part of the Applications Explorer program.


	10. April 28,1989 / May 4,1989 / May 11,1989

The Soyuz TM-7 crew undocked from the Mir station and landed in  
Kazakhstan on Apr 27, leaving space unoccupied by humans for the  
first time since Feb 1987.

The Progress-41 cargo freighter undocked from the Mir complex last week  
and reentered.

The attempt to launch STS-30 was scrubbed today at T-31s, 1428 UT on Apr  
28 with an RSLS abort apparently due to main engine pump problems. 

————

The space shuttle Atlantis was launched at 18:47:00 GMT today  
on the STS-30 mission. At 22:30 GMT the mission was proceeding  
nominally and Magellan deployment was scheduled for 01:04 GMT.

The Progress-41 ferry seems to have run into trouble after undocking  
from Mir on Apr 20. Instead of being deorbited, according to NORAD  
tracking it ended up in a 124x390 km orbit. It then slowly decayed,  
reentering at 1202 GMT on Apr 25 from an orbit with a perigee of 94 km.  
This could indicate an engine underburn, possibly due to lack of fuel  
after the unplanned boost of the Mir station to a storage orbit. 

The Foton-2 materials processing flight was orbited on Apr 26 from  
Plesetsk. Based on the Vostok craft, the satellite will remain in  
orbit for several weeks and land in the USSR.

 

Kosmos-2018, launched on Apr 20, is a GRU recon satellite,  
for high resolution imaging. It will probably operate until  
late June.

Another old weather satellite, Kosmos-206, reentered on Apr 22.

—————

The space shuttle Atlantis landed at Edwards AFB on the main runway (RW22)  
on May 8. 

The Magellan Venus Radar Mapper probe was launched by IUS rocket into solar  
orbit on May 5 after its deployment from Atlantis.

A Titan 34D/IUS payload was launched toward geostationary orbit on May 10  
from Cape Canaveral; its payload is probably a pair of Phase III Defense  
Satellite Communications System (DSCS III) sats. This is the 5th US space  
launch of the year.

The second 'Foton' satellite, launched on Apr 26, carries a French  
materials processing experiment. It is due to land on May 12.

Kosmos-2019 was launched on May 5; no data yet.

The Kosmos-2017 Vostok-class recon satellite landed on about Apr 20  
after 14 days in space. Kosmos-2005, a long duration recon satellite,  
landed on Apr 25, 5 days after being replaced by Kosmos-2018.


End file.
